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1939 college football rankings

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FieldValue
season1939
champions[Texas A&M](1939-texas-a-m-aggies-football-team)
[USC](1939-usc-trojans-football-team)
[Cornell](1939-cornell-big-red-football-team)

USC Cornell

Various selection methods comprised 1939 college football rankings, including the AP Poll. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, did not itself bestow a national championship.

Champions (by ranking)

The AP Poll and most other rankings consider Texas A&M the season's champion. The Dickinson System considers USC the season's champion. Litkenhous Ratings and the Sagarin Ratings Predictor method consider Cornell to have been the season's chamnpion.

  • AP poll: Texas A&M
  • Berryman QPRS: Texas A&M
  • Billingsley Report: Texas A&M
  • Boand System: Texas A&M
  • College Football Researchers Association: Texas A&M
  • DeVold System Texas A&M
  • Dickinson System: USC
  • Dunkel System: Texas A&M
  • Helms Athletic Foundation: Texas A&M
  • Houlgate System: Texas A&M
  • Litkenhous Ratings: Cornell
  • National Championship Foundation: Texas A&M
  • Poling System: Texas A&M
  • Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method: Texas A&M
  • Sagarin Ratings Predictor method Litkenhous Ratings: Cornell
  • Williamson System: Texas A&M Note: AP Poll, Boand System, Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Litkenhous Ratings, Poling System, and Williamson System were given contemporarily. All other methods were given retroactively.

AP Poll

Legend

Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

The final AP Poll was released on December 11, at the end of the 1939 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. |Week1-1 = Pittsburgh (3–0) (25) |Week1-2 = Notre Dame (3–0) (16) |Week1-3 = Oklahoma (2–0–1) (10) |Week1-4 = Tulane (3–0) (14) |Week1-5 = Tennessee (3–0) (26.5) |Week1-6 = Michigan (2–0) (10) |Week1-7 = USC (2–0–1) |Week1-8 = Alabama (3–0) (2.5) |Week1-9 = Texas A&M (4–0) (5) |Week1-10 = Ohio State (2–0) (11) |Week1-11 = Oregon (2–0–1) (2) |Week1-12 = Cornell (2–0) (1) |Week1-13 = Duke (2–1) |Week1-14 = North Carolina (4–0) |Week1-15 = Carnegie Tech (3–0) |Week1-16 = Nebraska (2–0–1) |Week1-17 = Ole Miss (3–0) |Week1-18 = SMU (1–1–1) |Week1-19 = Baylor (3–0) |Week1-20 = St. Mary's (2–0) |Week2-1 = Tennessee (4–0) (83) |Week2-1-Color = u |Week2-2 = Notre Dame (4–0) (12) |Week2-2-Color = |Week2-3 = Michigan (3–0) (8) |Week2-3-Color = u |Week2-4 = Ohio State (3–0) (5) |Week2-4-Color = u |Week2-5 = Texas A&M (5–0) (6) |Week2-5-Color = u |Week2-6 = Oklahoma (3–0–1) (2) |Week2-6-Color = d |Week2-7 = Cornell (3–0) (1) |Week2-7-Color = u |Week2-8 = USC (2–0–1) |Week2-8-Color = d |Week2-9 = Tulane (3–0–1) (1) |Week2-9-Color = d |Week2-10 = Nebraska (3–0–1) |Week2-10-Color = u |Week2-11 = Duquesne (4–0) |Week2-11-Color = npr |Week2-12 = Duke (3–1) |Week2-12-Color = u |Week2-13 = North Carolina (4–0–1) |Week2-13-Color = u |Week2-14 = Ole Miss (4–0) |Week2-14-Color = u |Week2-15 = Oregon State (4–0) |Week2-15-Color = npr |Week2-16 = Penn (3–0) |Week2-16-Color = npr |Week2-17 = SMU (2–1–1) |Week2-17-Color = u |Week2-18 = Pittsburgh (3–1) |Week2-18-Color = d |Week2-19 = NYU (3–1) |Week2-19-Color = npr |Week2-20 = Alabama (3–1) |Week2-20-Color = d |Week3-1 = Tennessee (5–0) (67) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = Michigan (4–0) (20) |Week3-2-Color = u |Week3-3 = Cornell (4–0) (18) |Week3-3-Color = u |Week3-4 = Notre Dame (5–0) (12) |Week3-4-Color = d |Week3-5 = Texas A&M (6–0) (6) |Week3-5-Color = |Week3-6 = Oklahoma (4–0–1) (2) |Week3-6-Color = |Week3-7 = USC (3–0–1) (1) |Week3-7-Color = u |Week3-8 = Tulane (4–0–1) (1) |Week3-8-Color = u |Week3-9 = North Carolina (5–0–1) (1) |Week3-9-Color = u |Week3-10 = Nebraska (4–0–1) |Week3-10-Color = |Week3-11 = Oregon State (5–0) |Week3-11-Color = u |Week3-12 = Duke (4–1) |Week3-12-Color = |Week3-13 = Duquesne (5–0) |Week3-13-Color = d |Week3-14 = Ohio State (3–1) |Week3-14-Color = d |Week3-15 = Kentucky (5–0) |Week3-15-Color = npr |Week3-16 = SMU (2–1–1) |Week3-16-Color = u |Week3-17 = NYU (4–1) |Week3-17-Color = u |Week3-18 = LSU (4–1) |Week3-18-Color = npr |Week3-19 = Alabama (4–1) т |Week3-19-Color = tu |Week3-20 = UCLA (4–0–1) т |Week3-20-Color = npr |Week4-1 = Tennessee (6–0) (81) |Week4-1-Color = |Week4-2 = Texas A&M (7–0) (6) |Week4-2-Color = u |Week4-3 = Notre Dame (6–0) (11) |Week4-3-Color = u |Week4-4 = USC (4–0–1) (5) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = Cornell (5–0) (1) |Week4-5-Color = d |Week4-6 = Oklahoma (5–0–1) (3) |Week4-6-Color = |Week4-7 = Tulane (4–0–1) |Week4-7-Color = u |Week4-8 = North Carolina (6–0–1) (1) |Week4-8-Color = u |Week4-9 = Ohio State (4–1) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Michigan (4–1) |Week4-10-Color = d |Week4-11 = UCLA (5–0–1) |Week4-11-Color = u |Week4-12 = Duquesne (6–0) |Week4-12-Color = u |Week4-13 = SMU (3–1–1) |Week4-13-Color = u |Week4-14 = Dartmouth (5–0–1) |Week4-14-Color = npr |Week4-15 = Duke (5–1) |Week4-15-Color = d |Week4-16 = Santa Clara (3–1–2) |Week4-16-Color = npr |Week4-17 = NYU (5–1) |Week4-17-Color = |Week4-18 = Kentucky (5–0–1) |Week4-18-Color = d |Week4-19 = Ole Miss (5–1) |Week4-19-Color = npr |Week4-20 = Alabama (4–1–1) |Week4-20-Color = d |Week5-1 = Tennessee (7–0) (66) |Week5-1-Color = |Week5-2 = Texas A&M (8–0) |Week5-2-Color = |Week5-3 = USC (5–0–1) (10) |Week5-3-Color = u |Week5-4 = Cornell (6–0) (3) |Week5-4-Color = u |Week5-5 = Oklahoma (6–0–1) (2) |Week5-5-Color = u |Week5-6 = Tulane (5–0–1) (2) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = North Carolina (7–0–1) (1) |Week5-7-Color = u |Week5-8 = Ohio State (5–1) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = Notre Dame (6–1) |Week5-9-Color = d |Week5-10 = Duquesne (7–0) |Week5-10-Color = u |Week5-11 = UCLA (5–0–1) |Week5-11-Color = |Week5-12 = Missouri (6–1) |Week5-12-Color = npr |Week5-13 = Duke (6–1) |Week5-13-Color = u |Week5-14 = Santa Clara (4–1–2) |Week5-14-Color = u |Week5-15 = Iowa (5–1) |Week5-15-Color = npr |Week5-16 = Clemson (6–1) (1) |Week5-16-Color = npr |Week5-17 = SMU (3–2–1) |Week5-17-Color = d |Week5-18 = Holy Cross (6–1) |Week5-18-Color = npr |Week5-19 = Oregon State (6–1) |Week5-19-Color = npr |Week5-20 = |Week5-20-Color = npr |Week6-1 = Texas A&M (9–0) (38) |Week6-1-Color = u |Week6-2 = Tennessee (8–0) (33) |Week6-2-Color = d |Week6-3 = Cornell (7–0) (20) |Week6-3-Color = u |Week6-4 = USC (5–0–1) (11) |Week6-4-Color = d |Week6-5 = Tulane (6–0–1) (3) |Week6-5-Color = u |Week6-6 = Ohio State (6–1) (1) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = Notre Dame (7–1) |Week6-7-Color = u |Week6-8 = Duke (7–1) (2) |Week6-8-Color = u |Week6-9 = Iowa (6–1) (1) |Week6-9-Color = u |Week6-10 = Missouri (7–1) |Week6-10-Color = u |Week6-11 = Holy Cross (7–1) |Week6-11-Color = u |Week6-12 = Duquesne (7–0) |Week6-12-Color = d |Week6-13 = UCLA (5–0–2) |Week6-13-Color = d |Week6-14 = Oklahoma (6–1–1) |Week6-14-Color = d |Week6-15 = Clemson (7–1) (1) |Week6-15-Color = u |Week6-16 = Georgetown (7–0–1) |Week6-16-Color = npr |Week6-17 = North Carolina (7–1–1) т |Week6-17-Color = td |Week6-18 = Santa Clara (4–1–3) т |Week6-18-Color = d |Week6-19 = Georgia Tech (5–2) т |Week6-19-Color = tnpr |Week6-20 = Princeton (6–1) т |Week6-20-Color = npr |Week7-1 = Texas A&M (9–0) (27) т |Week7-1-Color = tw |Week7-2 = USC (6–0–1) (25) т |Week7-2-Color = u |Week7-3 = Cornell (8–0) (34) |Week7-3-Color = |Week7-4 = Tennessee (8–0) (18) |Week7-4-Color = d |Week7-5 = Tulane (7–0–1) (4) |Week7-5-Color = |Week7-6 = Duquesne (8–0) |Week7-6-Color = u |Week7-7 = Duke (8–1) (2) |Week7-7-Color = u |Week7-8 = Missouri (8–1) |Week7-8-Color = u |Week7-9 = Iowa (6–1–1) |Week7-9-Color = |Week7-10 = Holy Cross (7–1) |Week7-10-Color = u |Week7-11 = Notre Dame (7–2) |Week7-11-Color = d |Week7-12 = Ohio State (6–2) |Week7-12-Color = d |Week7-13 = UCLA (5–0–3) |Week7-13-Color = |Week7-14 = Clemson (8–1) (1) |Week7-14-Color = u |Week7-15 = Michigan (6–2) |Week7-15-Color = npr |Week7-16 = North Carolina (7–1–1) |Week7-16-Color = u |Week7-17 = Georgetown (7–0–1) |Week7-17-Color = d |Week7-18 = Nebraska (7–1–1) |Week7-18-Color = npr |Week7-19 = San Jose State (12–0) |Week7-19-Color = npr |Week7-20 = Santa Clara (5–1–3) |Week7-20-Color = d |Week8-1 = Texas A&M (10–0) (28) |Week8-1-Color = |Week8-2 = Tennessee (9–0) (19) |Week8-2-Color = u |Week8-3 = USC (7–0–1) (18) |Week8-3-Color = d |Week8-4 = Cornell (8–0) (15) |Week8-4-Color = d |Week8-5 = Tulane (8–0–1) (5) |Week8-5-Color = |Week8-6 = Duke (8–1) (1) |Week8-6-Color = u |Week8-7 = Missouri (8–1) |Week8-7-Color = u |Week8-8 = Iowa (6–1–1) |Week8-8-Color = u |Week8-9 = UCLA (6–0–3) |Week8-9-Color = u |Week8-10 = Duquesne (8–0–1) |Week8-10-Color = d |Week8-11 = Notre Dame (7–2) |Week8-11-Color = |Week8-12 = Ohio State (6–2) |Week8-12-Color = |Week8-13 = Georgia Tech (7–2) |Week8-13-Color = npr |Week8-14 = Boston College (9–1) |Week8-14-Color = npr |Week8-15 = Clemson (8–1) (1) |Week8-15-Color = d |Week8-16 = Santa Clara (5–1–3) |Week8-16-Color = u |Week8-17 = Nebraska (7–1–1) |Week8-17-Color = u |Week8-18 = Fordham (6–2) т |Week8-18-Color = tnpr |Week8-19 = San Jose State (13–0) т |Week8-19-Color = u |Week8-20 = Georgetown (7–0–1) |Week8-20-Color = d |Week9-1 = Texas A&M (10–0) (55) |Week9-1-Color = nc |Week9-2 = Tennessee (10–0) (26) |Week9-2-Color = |Week9-3 = USC (7–0–2) (9) |Week9-3-Color = |Week9-4 = Cornell (8–0) (16) |Week9-4-Color = |Week9-5 = Tulane (8–0–1) |Week9-5-Color = |Week9-6 = Missouri (8–1) |Week9-6-Color = u |Week9-7 = UCLA (6–0–4) |Week9-7-Color = u |Week9-8 = Duke (8–1) (2) |Week9-8-Color = d |Week9-9 = Iowa (6–1–1) |Week9-9-Color = d |Week9-10 = Duquesne (8–0–1) |Week9-10-Color = |Week9-11 = Boston College (9–1) |Week9-11-Color = u |Week9-12 = Clemson (8–1) |Week9-12-Color = u |Week9-13 = Notre Dame (7–2) |Week9-13-Color = d |Week9-14 = Santa Clara (5–1–3) |Week9-14-Color = u |Week9-15 = Ohio State (6–2) |Week9-15-Color = d |Week9-16 = Georgia Tech (8–2) |Week9-16-Color = d |Week9-17 = Fordham (6–2) |Week9-17-Color = u |Week9-18 = Nebraska (7–1–1) |Week9-18-Color = d |Week9-19 = Oklahoma (6–2–1) |Week9-19-Color = npr |Week9-20 = Michigan (6–2) |Week9-20-Color = npr

Boand System

The Boand System rankings (also known as "Azzi Ratem") were the only ratings released after the bowl games. Released in early January 1940, Boand's final rankings were as follows:

  1. Texas A&M

  2. Cornell

  3. USC

  4. Tulane

  5. Duke

  6. Tennessee

  7. Georgia Tech

  8. Clemson

  9. Notre Dame

  10. UCLA

Dickinson System

The Dickinson System rankings released in December 1939 were as follows:

  1. USC (25.73)

  2. Texas A&M (25.43)

  3. Cornell (25.26)

  4. Tulane (23.61)

  5. Tennessee (22.61)

  6. Notre Dame (22.59)

  7. Michigan (22.50)

  8. Duke (22.34)

  9. Missouri (22.29)

  10. UCLA (21.91)

  11. Iowa (21.02)

. Duquesne

. Georgia Tech

. Ohio State

. Princeton

. Santa Clara

Litkenhous Ratings

The final Litkenhous Ratings released in December 1939 provided numerical rankings to more than 600 college football programs. The top 100 ranked teams were:

  1. Cornell

  2. Tennessee

  3. Texas A&M

  4. Tulane

  5. Ohio State

6.Duke

  1. North Carolina

  2. Oklahoma

  3. Minnesota

  4. USC

  5. Holy Cross

  6. SMU

  7. Fordham

  8. Georgia Tech

  9. Missouri

  10. Michigan

  11. Ole Miss

  12. Boston College

  13. Mississippi State

  14. Clemson

  15. Notre Dame

  16. Alabama

  17. Nebraska

  18. Princeton

  19. Santa Clara

  20. Iowa

  21. Kentucky

  22. Wake Forest

  23. Dartmouth

  24. Northwestern

  25. Duquesne

  26. Villanova

  27. Purdue

  28. UCLA

  29. Pittsburgh

  30. Baylor

  31. San Jose State

  32. LSU

  33. Auburn

  34. Utah

  35. Columbia

  36. Georgetown

  37. Texas

  38. Detroit

  40. Arkansas

  41. TCU

  42. Penn

  43. NYU

  44. Oregon

  45. Penn State

  46. North Texas

  47. Oregon State

  48. Catholic Univ.

  49. Carnegie Tech

  50. Navy

  51. Harvard

  52. Colgate

  53. Fresno State

  54. Butler

  55. Kansas State

  56. Brown

  57. Illinois

  58. Marshall

  59. Arizona State

  60. Marquette

  61. Saint Mary's (CA)

  62. VMI

  63. Georgia

  64. Rice

  65. Temple

  66. Scranton

  67. Yale

  68. Michigan State

  69. Syracuse

  70. Richmond

  71. Virginia

  72. Wisconsin

  73. George Washington

  74. Gonzaga

  75. Washington Univ.

  76. Washington

  77. Manhattan

  78. Vanderbilt

  79. Hardin–Simmons

  80. Canisius

  81. La Salle

  82. Miami (FL)

  83. Furman

  84. Texas Tech

  85. Army

  86. San Francisco

  87. Colorado Mines

  88. Bucknell

  89. Florida

  90. San Diego Marines

  91. Lafayette

  92. Rollins

  93. Oklahoma A&M

  94. Tulsa

Williamson System

The Williamson System rankings released in December 1939 were as follows:

  1. Texas A&M

  2. Tulane

  3. Cornell

  4. Tennessee

  5. USC

  6. Clemson

  7. Duke

  8. Missouri

  9. Nebraska

  10. Iowa

  11. Boston College

  12. Notre Dame

  13. Georgia Tech

  14. Princeton

  15. UCLA

  16. Oregon State

  17. Alabama

  18. Duquesne

  19. Fordham

  20. Penn

  21. Oklahoma

  22. SMU

  23. Ohio State

  24. Pittsburgh

  25. Santa Clara

  26. North Carolina

  27. Purdue

  28. Kentucky

  29. Northwestern

  30. Auburn

  31. Mississippi State

  32. Minnesota

  33. Baylor

  34. Villanova

  35. Ole Miss

  36. Michigan

  37. St. Anselm

  38. LSU

  39. Catholic Univ.

  40. Georgetown

  41. Detroit

  42. Holy Cross

  43. San Jose State

  44. Washington Univ.

  45. Manhattan

  46. Arkansas

  47. Wake Forest

  48. Texas

  49. Oregon

  50. Indiana

Notes

References

References

  1. (2017). "Football Bowl Subdivision Records".
  2. (January 2, 1940). "Azzi Ratem Calls Aggies No. 1 Team". Lexington Herald-Leader.
  3. (December 12, 1939). "Dickinson Rates Southern Cal Tops: Orange Fifth Behind Aggies, Cornell, Wave". The Nashville Tennessean.
  4. (December 12, 1939). "To Dickinson, Trojans Best: Strength of Rivals Decides Ratings". Evening World-Herald.
  5. E. E. Litkenhous. (December 31, 1939). "Vols Second In Final Litkenhous Grid Rankings; Southern California Tenth". Johnson City Sunday Press.
  6. Paul Williamson. (December 8, 1941). "Texas Aggies Ranked Nation's Top". The Atlanta Constitution.
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